For ten weeks shocking images of France have traveled through every news channel of the world. Those which crave for the spectacular and live on shocking titles even talk about “A New French revolution”.
Maybe it is time -as the French saying says- to put back our clocks at the right time. Let’s come back on the chronological events that constitute this social contestation. To do so, we will briefly explain each facts bringing us to the weekly manifestation taking place every Sunday around the country.
It all starts with gasoline…
Some will say it was a continuous “ras le bol” (fed up), an addition of a lifetime of injustice, an accumulation of taxes and pension cuts… But the story starts with the price of gasoline being raised.
In 2015, the French parliament adopts a law regarding the ecological transition of the country. In 2018, the government of président Emanuel Macron starts raising the taxes on Diesel and Gasoline by respectively 7 and 4 centimes on the litter (about 9 and 5 Baht). These measures were the firsts steps of a progressive raise suppose to go on until 2022.
Nowadays, the price of gasoline in France is on average 1,27euros (163 Roupies) per liter. But often raises above 1,40euros (181 Roupies).
The official reason was to equilibrate taxes between the most polluting gas and the less, forcing slowly people into more ecological solutions (Electric car, public transportation…)
The President guarantees to the French population that the money collected from these taxes, will be injected into the fight for the environmental program, but in reality, only 20% is directly put towards Ecological transition, the rest is dispersed in the state fund. From there, it is hard to know where it really goes.
[Reminder] The escalation of prices for gasoline is a global phenomenon. As the price of the Petrol Barrel tripled these last years.
17 Novembre – Act I
These decisions I have introduced, mainly affected people living in the countryside who have no other options than to use their cars if they want to be able to attend their jobs. Heavy trucks drivers are the second party concerned, as the price of gasoline directly impacts their benefits and salaries. Thirdly, any owner of a diesel car who has seen its value drop. Finally, the inhabitants of the capital Paris, having to prepare for the interdiction of diesel cars in Paris planned for 2024.
“Fed up, I drive a 140 kilometers a day back and forth for work. This represents 250 to 300 euros of gasoline per month, on a salary of 1,500 euros monthly. I fall to 1,200 euros only to be able to go to work. The price of gas is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. ” a Yellow Jacket.
People started getting angrier and angrier, so they regrouped. As a symbol for their dissatisfaction, and the social movement they were slowly putting together, they used the yellow jacket as their flag and uniform. Why? Because every concerned party has one under the seat of their car. In France, you have to equip your vehicle with a safety jacket. It is dictated by law, any person driving a car inside its borders has to have at least one in case an accident occurs and you have to wait for the tow truck on the roadside.
Their first intention was to block the traffic at roundabouts in order to gain public image and sensibilise other drivers and citizens to their cause.
The movement declares its self strictly apolitical. However, every political movement of opposition jumped on the opportunity to promote their disregards and critics about the present government in place, and in a perverted way, gain more support by just following the short time public opinion born from a real crisis. In short, using acted compassion for career purposes. As a result, every single problem sturred by the public debate is added to the contestation. And demands became hard to follow. Putting on a yellow jacket started being a way of expressing every personal disagreement with the actual political climate. And the country is well known for its active use of the liberty of expression and strongly divided opinions on every subject brought at the Sunday table or the morning coffee. So let’s just say they were a lot.
The 17th of November, 300 000 people manifested around the country.
Reported Casualties: One dead man ran over by a motorcycle, One elderly woman accidentally ran over by a mother taking her child to the doctor, 585 injured civilians, 115 police officers. Overseas, in the islands, a lot of cases of looting.
24 November- Act II
The second week, 106 000 people gathered around the country. In Paris, barricades started to be built and tear gas was used by the police to contain the throwing of pavements.
Government declares they will not stop the price rise but agrees in finding solutions to end the conflict, such as measures to help people change their cars.
Casualties: 1,5 million euros in damage. 31 injured (7 being policemen) only in Paris. 84 injured (30 policemen) across France. 339 people are arrested, 307 put in jail at the police station.
[Reminder] Every single injury is accounted by police forces. However, a lot of civilians do not register in hospitals for minor injuries. There is most likely more injured than the official number declared.
1 December- Act III
This time a sentence is clearly heard: “President Macron, Resign !”
Violence reaches a peak. The number of munitions and weapons used by the police force is a historical record.
“8,000 tear gas, 1,193 rubber bullets, 1,040 grenades and 339 grenades GLI-F4, ammunition including an explosive charge of 25 grams of TNT”.
Casualties: A woman dies in surgery after being hit in the head by a tear gas grenade. A man dies after hitting a barricade with his motorbike. Official report: «263 injured, 5 dangerously, among them 81 members from the ‘forces de sécurité intérieures’. And 682 arrests and 630 ‘garde à vue’ jailed in the police station.»
8 December- Act IV
Violence keeps growing as the animosity between police forces and protestors grows. People sadly started taking advantage of the situation to destroy and loot, they are called “Les Casseurs“.
New projects of law are being discussed in parliament to facilitate arrestations and maximize sentences of those who don’t follow the protocol of manifestation. Some talk about the beginning of a militarised police and the end of the right to march and demonstrate.
Armed Vehicles started to be deployed in the main touristic attractions of the capital, Paris.
The 10th Macron addresses a message to the nation by television where he promises to raise minimum wages by 100 euros and help retired people to earn more each mouth.
15 December- Act V
After the terrorist attack that occurred in Strasbourg, where a man, revendicated from Islamic State, shooted with a rifle random people in a public area of the city; the government asks yellow jackets to stay off the streets, to avoid public meetings transforming into easy targets, and deployed more than 8 000 police forces across the country. Still, 66 000 demonstrators marched on this day.
22 December- Act VI
The number of demonstrators drops to 36 000 but violence and arrests increase. The land borders are being blocked, some “leaders” of the social movement are arrested for “invitation to violence”.
Casualties: Another man dies after being hit by a truck at a blockade. 220 persons are placed under arrest, 142 of them are made in Paris.
29 December- Act VII
The situation in the capital calmed down, but not in other cities of the Ouest. Demonstrators find a new enemy: The media, which they accuse of not showing the peaceful reality of their actions, or the police abuse, that surrounds the movement.
5 January- Act VIII
A new year begins with 50 000 thousand demonstrators marching in the streets, minister’s offices are being highjacked and members of the government have to be evacuated by the police.
“Fake news” is becoming a serious problem. A lot of people use the internet to spread fake resumes of the events, it becomes very hard to know what picture or article can be taken seriously or not.
12 January- Act IX
84 000 people in the streets according to the Ministry of Defence. As an answer to that worrying come back, 80 000 “security groups” composed of police forces armed with flash balls, tear gas and shield are deployed across the country.
President Emanuel Macron organizes a great debate with the mayors of France, where he declares they will be no “taboo subjects”.
Casualties: More and more people fall into a comatose state and lose an eye after being shot by flash balls in the head.
19 January- Act X
The number of manifesters remains roughly the same, 70 000. But the tensions have calmed down.
Shocking images of injuries afflicted to the manifesters and the police force are dividing public opinion, both sides are now trying to be more careful.
Total Casualties has known till this day:
1600 persons injured, half are police force members injured, 6000 people arrested, 11 dead (none from direct confrontation with police force).
More than half of 3200 the road fixated radars (traffic control) dispatched across the country were destroyed.
27 January – A New opponent joins the Game
On this date, the “Red Flag Association” will march in the street to express their disagreements with the yellow jackets. The declare having had enough of this “questioning of democracy”.
“It is not 80 000 people who are going to decide for every french!”
A march “In favor of the government” is to be expected.
Finally, Yellow Jackets are going to submit an electoral list for the European elections.
You are now fully updated on what is happening in France.
